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Festive list of 12 things to Ditch

Thank you for posting my blog. In solidarity with the No Impact Project I have told my readers about you and also made a list of 12 things that I already live without to expand my focus of the blog! Here’s a link: http://ditchyourfridge.blogspot.com/2009/10/festive-12-days-list-of-what-to-ditch.html

I look forward to trying the No Impact Experiment!!

Peace,
Andrea

1 Comment

That’s a nice list.
Street lights in the site are a total waste. It was shocking to see a citizens group trying to get people to leave on their outside lights for “safety” and fighting for more street lights. I really miss living in the country where it got dark enough to see the stars!
We really agree with getting rid of all perfumes, toxic cleaners and their ilk. If it’s infused with a scent it’s toxic. Trying to find a good moisturizer which is safe has been a challenge – no luck yet.

Read: Slow Death By Rubber Duck.

In terms of no fridge – I’d prefer a cold cellar – but we have to build our eco-home first to get one of those. We do suffer from the usual phobia about the kids lacking various nutrients or having a high calcium source so we use fortified soy milk and that requires a fridge. Locating a fridge / freezer (we freeze lots of our summer produce) in an unheated part of the home would be a great step to reducing their energy use – sadly there are no unheated areas in a newer home.
I know of one vegan who is off the grid and has no fridge or freezer. It’s almost Feb and we’re still eating squash from last fall and there are carrots in the ground waiting to be dug up.
According to Dr. John McDougall a varied no added fat, vegan diet will give you everything you need – but we’re still paranoid about the kids lacking something. Mind you, neighbours are even more paranoid – seemingly giving their kids almost their entire dairly RDA of protein with every meal – and wonder out loud about where their kids would get enough protein if they had a vegetarian supper once per week ….

I can’t say that I’d go with the showering only once weekly. I take about 5L of water to take a shower (something a bit over 1 US gallon) and as I spend about 1 hour / day cycling to and from work – I’d get divorced pretty quick if I didn’t shower! Mind you friends and family shower only about once per week and there really isn’t any problem. Other family members use a bathtub of HOT water every time they shower …

I’d also suggest that everyone go WWOOFing (just Google it). One farm that we’ve gone to is off the grid – that is to say that the water walks (you hand pump and carry it) and there is no electricity – and the shower is the lack down the road …